Irish alt-rock and shoegaze innovators The Altered Hours are back, announcing their self-titled third studio album, due out September 26th via Pizza Pizza Records (home to Just Mustard). Leading the charge is “Lay There With You,” a soulful, kinetic duet recorded to tape by analogue maestro Julie McLarnon (New Order, Lankum). This new single, and indeed the entire album, captures the band in full bloom—delivering their most dynamic, direct, and emotionally resonant work yet.
“The Valley, it offered a hand. I took it on one command; don’t you go sweet on me now…” so begins “Lay There With You.” Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Cork’s Lee Valley, the track is a cinematic, slow-burning duet. It builds with layers of jangling guitars, Hammond organ swells, and a hypnotic rhythm, culminating in a stormy, yearning chorus: “All I can do is lay there with you, hoping this rain it will ease,” before exploding into a defiant, descending rock and roll riff.
Since their 2010 formation, The Altered Hours have carved out a vital space in Ireland’s underground, lauded for their immersive sound and visceral live energy. Across two albums and multiple EPs, they’ve forged a distinct voice in the European alternative scene – fuzz-drenched, emotionally raw, and impossible to pin down. They’ve shared stages with legends like The Brian Jonestown Massacre and members of Spacemen 3, even earning invites from peers like Fontaines D.C. for European and UK tours, playing iconic venues like The Bataclan and Alexandra Palace. Guitarist Cathal Mac Gabhann has even joined Fontaines D.C. as a live guitarist, touring Japan and Australia.
